DC police crack down, get tough, on flower planting.

[powderman]

DC Metro police crack down ... on  flower plantingBy MIchael RoppoloPublished June 28, 2013FoxNews.comTransit officials in the nation’s capital have identified a grave new threat:  A guy who plants flowers.
Henry Docter thought he was doing a good thing, beautifying the city he loves  by planting flowers in forgotten flower boxes around the Dupont Circle Metro  station in Washington, D.C. Then he received a cease-and-desist letter from  Metro officials, threatening him with “arrest, fines and imprisonment,” if he  dared continue his unauthorized botany.
“The typical response [should have been] a heartfelt thank you,” Docter, who  calls himself the “Phantom Planter,” told FoxNews.com. “I never expected nor  have I ever received such a letter.”
Metro officials told the Washington Post the warning was for Docter’s own good. After all, they said, the  flower  boxes he sought to beautify are set along steep, cobblestone steps and Docter  could fall while watering, weeding or otherwise tending to his flowers.
Docter, who claims to have planted 40,000 flower bulbs in public places  around the world, believes he has the experience to safely continue his floral  exploits. Planting flowers, he said, is “a joyous occasion.”
Metro officials did not respond to a request for comment.
Straphangers seem to be siding with Docter, especially given that the terrace  garden at the Dupont Circle station was falling into disrepair.
“The terraced garden area was neglected and the flower planters were full of  cigarette butts, shards of glass and other debris,” said Docter, who guesses he  planted more than 1,000 flowers in the terrace garden in the spring.
Ironically, it was Docter’s own passion for planting that got him into  trouble with Metro officials. He had sent a letter to a friend, asking them to  find someone at Metro with “both a brain and a heart,” so he could get  permission to continue caring for the flowers.
“Unfortunately, in addition to a brain and a heart, I should have also asked  to speak with someone who had power and common sense,” Docter told  FoxNews.com.
Docter is working to garner support for his cause through an online petition  on Change.org.  So far he has gathered over 2,000 signatures supporting his phantom flower  planting. He also has a website dedicated to help get the word out about the  flowers found at letmyflowersgrow.com.
Nicolette Kearney contributed to this report

Read more:  http://www.foxnews.com/us/2013/06/28/dc-metro-police-crack-down-on-flower-planting/?test=latestnews#ixzz2XbvsKa8D

[BBF]

The "nut" trees are in full bloom in that place.

[lakota]

Good to hear that the D.C. police have cleaned up all of the crime in that cesspool and now have the time to harass people who are planting flowers!

[bulletstuffer]

We've all heard it before.  If we let one person do it then everyone will want to do it    Common sense has left the building    


Bulletstuffer

[Ranger99]

tell him to come here.
flowers would look a lot better than
all these beer bottles and cans and
paper plates and crap that litter all
the yards around here.

[nw_hunter]

We've all heard it before.  If we let one person do it then everyone will want to do it    Common sense has left the building    


Bulletstuffer

Safer for the police to arrest a flower Gardener than a Crack dealer
More likely to get money out of the evil Gardener than a kind, hard working dealer of dope
 

[spruce]

He should have known nobody in Washington has a brain.

[powderman]

HEEEELLLPPPP. The liberal democrats are coming the liberal democrats are coming, OOOOOPPPPSSS, they're already here. Liberalism is a disease, thank a liberal today. POWDERMAN.

[oldandslow]

Send him to the little town I live close to and he would be appreciated. The people that run the town won't even kill the tumbleweeds that grow in the medians along main street much less plant flowers and clean up the place.